Time Travel: The Useless Prince, First Destroy the Princess

Liu Yan took a deep breath.

"If the city decree is not harsh, merchants will not pay taxes. If they don't pay taxes, the Great Jing Dynasty will have no money and can do nothing!"

"Yes, Father! But the mayor must have enriched himself! Isn't that bringing discredit to the court?"

"No gain, no pain! Without the opportunity to enrich himself, how could he be willing to do it even desperately? Don't you think so?" Liu Yan asked with a slight smile on his face.

"Yes, but I still don't quite understand!"

"You are still young after all. Some experiences are accumulated slowly. What I told you today is just some of my experience!"

"Father, I will definitely remember this!"

"Don't you think such a wicked official would bring discredit to the imperial court? What if it incites the people to revolt? Have you ever thought about that?"

"Son, I didn't think that much!"

Liu Zhao was unwilling to say that this was possible.

And over time, the possibility is very high.

"The imperial tax system, the tax rate, when to collect, and how to collect are all set laws! The mayor wants to collect taxes ahead of time. That's his own decision and truly violates the imperial tax system! If this provokes resentment among the people, or even leads to rebellion, then simply abolishing the mayor will satisfy the people!"

"When the common people see him dead, their hatred will be vented! They will no longer hate the court!"

"Moreover, the proceeds embezzled by the mayor can be confiscated and returned to the public!"

"Yes, father!" Liu Zhao knew it in his heart.

Heshen fell, and Jiaqing understood the principle of being well fed!

"So, son, remember this: the court must establish reasonable etiquette and laws for the common people to know, and let them read and learn to abide by them! Through reading, the common people will know the good of the court and the good of the emperor!"

"At the same time, we must also condone the existence of corrupt officials. They are the minions of the imperial court. The people bully the weak and fear the strong, so they can suppress them!"

"They are also the shield of the imperial court. If they cause public outrage, killing them will be the best way for the people to relieve their anger! The emperor who kills corrupt officials will be known to the people as a good emperor!"

Having said this, Liu Yan stopped.

He covered his chest with his hand and coughed a few times.

"Father, are you okay?

Liu Zhao hurried over to give him a back massage.

Liu Yan's face looked a little bad. He took a sip of water and said, "It's okay. It's just an old problem!"

"I'll go call the imperial physician!" Liu Zhao was indeed a little panicked. Could this be a heart attack?

If I die now, I will be in big trouble.

"No, just drink some water!"

Liu Yan stopped him.

"What I said today, you must remember. To be an emperor, you must understand what the people want and what they fear! And what the officials want and what they fear!"

"Your Majesty, I'm still a little confused! Father, can you explain it to me?"

Liu Zhao got off the donkey smoothly and asked while massaging his back.

"The people want their lives, they covet life and fear death, they bully the weak and fear the strong! Only evil officials can control them! Corrupt officials want money and status, they fear death and losing power; use money and official positions to lure them into managing the local area well; honest officials want reputation and fear stigma! In the end, use them to deal with corrupt officials and evil officials!"

"What about the honest officials?" Liu Zhao asked.

"Honest officials love fame, so give them more official positions, the higher the better! If you can give them the highest honor of being enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, then they will work hard even if it means dying!"

"But what if they don't obey?"

Liu Zhao asked tentatively.

"Then vilify them, belittle them, and humiliate them! They'll be afraid!"

"Yes, Father!"

"Therefore, when governing a country, we must use both honest and corrupt officials! Remember, don't let one of them dominate alone!"

Liu Zhao didn't know why Liu Yan said so many emotional words today!

I was really touched!

"Alas! Ever since I had the accident last year, I have been worried about the future of the Great Jing Dynasty!"

Liu Zhao was shocked. Could it be that Liu Yan had a bad premonition?

Don’t do that, the time has not come yet!

"Now you're well, Father is very pleased!"

Liu Yan seemed to enjoy being gently massaged on the back by Liu Zhao.

"But I'm always worried that if I really fall one day, will you be able to control the world?"

"Father, no, no! Father will definitely live a long life!" Liu Zhao hurriedly comforted.

Suddenly I felt that this word was wrong!

Liu Yan sighed and said, "Everyone calls me 'Long Live the King', but I really hope to live a hundred years like you said!"

"Father, the imperial physician has examined it. What is the problem?" Liu Zhao boldly asked what illness Liu Yan had last year?

"The imperial physician said it was due to Yin deficiency and Yang hyperactivity, with excessive Qi and blood rushing into the brain, causing coma!"

"Is it serious?" Liu Zhao really didn't know what Yin deficiency and Yang hyperactivity were.

"I don't know either. I've been feeling a bit dizzy lately! It was around this time last year too!"

Liu Yan said this, rubbing his temples.

"It can't be high blood pressure!" Liu Zhao guessed.

This symptom is somewhat similar to what the imperial physician said.

But I didn’t dare to say anything!

What’s more, in this era, there is no good treatment!

At most, just don’t drink alcohol and eat less meat!

But the imperial physician should be able to explain these basic principles!

"So, Father must tell you what he should say, and share his experience with you. Just be prepared!"

"So that's how it is!" Liu Zhao felt relieved.

High blood pressure is very dangerous, but looking at Liu Yan's current condition, as long as he controls his diet, there won't be any major problems for the time being.

"I don't want you to have great ambitions and expand your territory in the future. I just want you to manage this world well after you succeed to the throne!"

"Son, I will definitely do it!"

"I still have some time and energy to help you eliminate those potential dangers. If you really succeed to the throne one day, you will be able to govern the country quickly!"

"Father, I don't quite understand!"

Liu Zhao was shocked.

Liu Yan seems to be arranging his funeral affairs. Does he have a premonition?

What should I do?

Especially the Prince of Zhenbei and the Prince of Song, they were clearly eyeing the throne!

Just as he thought of this, Liu Yan said again: "I have already sent your uncle back to his fiefdom. Without an imperial decree, he is not allowed to enter the capital!"

"Ah!" Liu Zhao's hand stopped instantly.

I was away for two days and the King of Song was driven out of Luojing?

Where was the fiefdom of King Song?

Isn't that like letting a tiger go back to the mountains?

Liu Zhao couldn't understand Liu Yan's actions!

"I also sent Prince Anshun and Prince Yiyang to the north to assist Prince Zhenbei in resisting the Northern Huns! Prince Zhenbei is old, and sooner or later he will have to retire!"

The meaning of this statement is very clear.

"Your uncle is in the south with Prince Jingnan, helping him quell the Nanyi rebellion! Do you know why your father did this?"

"I know!" Liu Zhao didn't want to hide it. "Father is worried that they will come and seize my position as crown prince!"

"That's right, from now on! The King of Zhenbei is far away in the north, and the King of Song is far away in the south. I hope they won't covet your position!"

"Yes, Father!"

Liu Zhao was a little shocked. Liu Yan was so fast in doing things!

"But my father, the King of Zhenbei, commands two hundred thousand troops. What if he rebels?"

"It's good that you think this way!" Liu Yan nodded slightly.

"The King of Zhenbei cares about the King of Song, and the King of Song cares about the throne! Now that the King of Song and the King of Jingnan are together, the King of Zhenbei dare not act rashly!"

"Father is wise!

Liu Zhao understood Liu Yan's approach.